--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no way that I could say that I…" description: "\"There is no way that I could say that I am going to be Mahler or Mozart. But no one is. And if this is not misunderstood they would not have been me. T..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/rufus-wainwright-2260_song_there-is-no-way-that-i-could-say-that-i_608663.jpg" --- # There is no way that I could say that I am going to be… ![“There is no way that I could say that I am going to be Mahler or Mozart. But no one is. And if this is not misunderstood they would not have been me. The truth is that each of us must compose and create the very best that we can, bring what we know and learn, and use what we have to give. So I see…” quote by Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/rufus-wainwright-2260_song_there-is-no-way-that-i-could-say-that-i_608663.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/rufus-wainwright-2260_song_there-is-no-way-that-i-could-say-that-i_608663.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/rufus-wainwright-2260_song_there-is-no-way-that-i-could-say-that-i_608663.jpg) > “There is no way that I could say that I am going to be Mahler or Mozart. But no one is. And if this is not misunderstood they would not have been me. The truth is that each of us must compose and create the very best that we can, bring what we know and learn, and use what we have to give. So I see it like this: Mozart, Wagner, Mahler, they built the cathedral of music, so high and beautiful; and I flew in there and got to place my small nest up way up there in the rafters of their beautiful cathedral.” [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists must forge their own path, learning from masters but building personal expression. **In simple terms:** Make your own music. Key Takeaway Cultivate originality, honor influences. Themes creativity self‑actualization legacy individuality Mood inspirational thoughtful Type artistic motivational When to use this quote - career development - personal art projects - education Key Concepts artistic identity learning from masters Questions to Reflect On - What unique voice will you contribute? - How do you balance tradition with innovation? A Different Perspective Originality may be constrained by market expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [“When I’m typing at my keyboard, I often feel like Mozart. Can somebody scratch my Bach? ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/when-i-m-typing-at-my-keyboard-i-often-feel-like-mozart-can-somebody/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [You could be a music prodigy at age 4, like Mozart, but you can't be a writing prodigy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/you-could-be-a-music-prodigy-at-age-4-like-mozart-but-you-can-t-be-a/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Your bitch ride me like a go kart, I play that pussy like Mozart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/your-bitch-ride-me-like-a-go-kart-i-play-that-pussy-like-mozart/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [A phenomenon like Mozart remains an inexplicable thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/a-phenomenon-like-mozart-remains-an-inexplicable-thing/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Anybody can put things together that belong together. to put things together that don't go together, and make it work, that takes genius like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/anybody-can-put-things-together-that-belong-together-to-put-things/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [How lucky is the man who, like Mozart and others, goes to the tavern of an evening and writes some fresh music. For he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-brahms/how-lucky-is-the-man-who-like-mozart-and-others-goes-to-the-tavern-of/) [Johannes Brahms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-brahms/) > [We may be sure that a genius like Mozart, were he born today, would write concertos like Chopin and not like Mozart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-schumann/we-may-be-sure-that-a-genius-like-mozart-were-he-born-today-would/) [Robert Schumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-schumann/) > [Someone like Mozart moves from Salzburg to Vienna, where all of the sudden he finds this musical city that is not only asking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/someone-like-mozart-moves-from-salzburg-to-vienna-where-all-of-the/) [Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/) > [I am a song of my times. I wasn't living in Vienna, like Mozart or Beethoven. In my circumstances, it was impossible to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikis-theodorakis/i-am-a-song-of-my-times-i-wasn-t-living-in-vienna-like-mozart-or/) [Mikis Theodorakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikis-theodorakis/) > [James Gandolfini was a genius. Anyone who saw him even in the smallest of his performances knows that. He is one of the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chase/james-gandolfini-was-a-genius-anyone-who-saw-him-even-in-the-smallest/) [David Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chase/) > [I love stuff like Mozart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-gibb/i-love-stuff-like-mozart/) [Robin Gibb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-gibb/) > [I listen to either romantic classical music, Brahms or Beethoven or something like Mozart, or I go all the way contemporary and listen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramin-djawadi/i-listen-to-either-romantic-classical-music-brahms-or-beethoven-or/) [Ramin Djawadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramin-djawadi/) > [“I had a dream about you. You were learning to compose music like Mozart, and I was learning to listen like Beethoven. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-had-a-dream-about-you-you-were-learning-to-compose-music-like/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [An ideal smartphone is the one that looks like Brosnan, sounds like Mozart, responds like Jeeves, and is good to flaunt, like Kim Kardashian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arindam-sen/an-ideal-smartphone-is-the-one-that-looks-like-brosnan-sounds-like/) [ARINDAM SEN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arindam-sen/) > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) ## More by Rufus Wainwright > [I have an ounce of Lady Gaga's full-bodied ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-have-an-ounce-of-lady-gaga-s-full-bodied-ambition/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I definitely consider 'Poses' - the whole album in fact - to be kind of a miracle. Like the last breath of that moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-definitely-consider-poses-the-whole-album-in-fact-to-be-kind-of-a/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [You know the question: 'How do you get to Carnegie Hall?' Answer: 'Practise?' Well, in my case, I got there by not practising. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/you-know-the-question-how-do-you-get-to-carnegie-hall-answer-practise/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I've had my ups and downs, and I definitely have a sense - in America, especially - that once you've made your mark and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-ve-had-my-ups-and-downs-and-i-definitely-have-a-sense-in-america/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I'll always be a boulevardier. I have an extreme reverence and romantic longing for all that is decrepit and fatalistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-ll-always-be-a-boulevardier-i-have-an-extreme-reverence-and/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I'm very blessed, mainly because even though my family is mostly in show business, it's really centered around music. My parents were very successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-m-very-blessed-mainly-because-even-though-my-family-is-mostly-in/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [Growing up, for years and years I had no idea what the plots of operas were, and that's part of what fascinated me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/growing-up-for-years-and-years-i-had-no-idea-what-the-plots-of-operas/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [Once illness strikes, you realize there's not a lot of time for you to do what you really need to do. And there's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/once-illness-strikes-you-realize-there-s-not-a-lot-of-time-for-you-to/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I basically have needed to go to the piano and give voice periodically to, you know - I'm always afraid to describe it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-basically-have-needed-to-go-to-the-piano-and-give-voice/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [And you will believe in love And all that it's supposed to be But just until the fish start to smell And you're struck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/and-you-will-believe-in-love-and-all-that-it-s-supposed-to-be-but/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [It's about how whenever I fall in love, I have these expectations of the experience being a perfect dream, which, of course, ruins it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/it-s-about-how-whenever-i-fall-in-love-i-have-these-expectations-of/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [Crazy as it sounds, I'm a believer in destiny and serendipity, and I have had cosmic experiences all my life. Something told me I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/crazy-as-it-sounds-i-m-a-believer-in-destiny-and-serendipity-and-i/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I think everybody identified at a pretty young age that I was fairly entranced with myself. And that I had to be tempered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-think-everybody-identified-at-a-pretty-young-age-that-i-was-fairly/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [The song is about knowing the end result of every situation you're in, and being able to play it out in your mind and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/the-song-is-about-knowing-the-end-result-of-every-situation-you-re-in/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I like to make the mundane fabulous whenever I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-like-to-make-the-mundane-fabulous-whenever-i-can/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) [Explore all 176 Rufus Wainwright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) ## More Song quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [ “Downloading's the same as what I used to do. I used to tape the charts of the songs I liked \[off the radio\]. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-gallagher/downloading-s-the-same-as-what-i-used-to-do-i-used-to-tape-the-charts/) [Liam Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-gallagher/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [I want people to hear my lyrics and my melodies and say, 'That dude's in pain.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-want-people-to-hear-my-lyrics-and-my-melodies-and-say-that-dude-s/) [Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [Eric Clapton's scales - when he comes off a high note and it's time for a refrain or a little bit of a rest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/eric-clapton-s-scales-when-he-comes-off-a-high-note-and-it-s-time-for/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [I do a lot of vocal exercises and drink hot tea, which I hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darci-lynne-farmer/i-do-a-lot-of-vocal-exercises-and-drink-hot-tea-which-i-hate/) [Darci Lynne Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darci-lynne-farmer/) > [There were songs that we cut out after we chose the name, because 'Praise Break' turned out to be an underlying concept that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/there-were-songs-that-we-cut-out-after-we-chose-the-name-because/) [Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/) > [My parents were not musical, and they were not effervescent people; everything was very quiet. The music that I played was loud; it used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/my-parents-were-not-musical-and-they-were-not-effervescent-people/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I remember that the bass was turned up slightly more on the mix from last week, and I thought that was good - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ronson/i-remember-that-the-bass-was-turned-up-slightly-more-on-the-mix-from/) [Mark Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ronson/) [Browse all 46,732 Song quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is no way that I could say that I am going to be Mahler or Mozart. But no one is. And if this is not misunderstood they would not have been me. The truth is that each of us must compose and create the very best that we can, bring what we know and learn, and use what we have to give. So I see it like this: Mozart, Wagner, Mahler, they built the cathedral of music, so high and beautiful; and I flew in there and got to place my small nest up way up there in the rafters of their beautiful cathedral.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rufus Wainwright" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/there-is-no-way-that-i-could-say-that-i-am-going-to-be-mahler-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Song" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/there-is-no-way-that-i-could-say-that-i-am-going-to-be-mahler-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/rufus-wainwright-2260_song_there-is-no-way-that-i-could-say-that-i_608663.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/rufus-wainwright-2260_song_there-is-no-way-that-i-could-say-that-i_608663.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/rufus-wainwright-2260_song_there-is-no-way-that-i-could-say-that-i_608663.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is no way that I could say that I am going to be Mahler or Mozart. But no one is. And if this is not…” — Rufus Wainwright", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rufus Wainwright", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is no way that I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/there-is-no-way-that-i-could-say-that-i-am-going-to-be-mahler-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/there-is-no-way-that-i-could-say-that-i-am-going-to-be-mahler-or/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```